Vintage 1960s Black Optical Print Designer Dress- New!
Measurements Size: Small Bust: 36 - 38 inches + 91 - 96.5 cm Waist: 28 - 30 inches + 71 - 76 cm Shoulder Edge to Shoulder Edge: 15.5 inches + 40 cm Hips: open Bodice Length from Outside Shoulder: 15 inches + 38 cm Total Length from Outside Shoulder: 42 inches + 107 cm Hem Length : None Zipper Length: 21.5 inches + 55 cm Seam Allowance: unable to be seen due to lining - Note: Measurements are taken from outside, flat and stretched from seam to seam. This is the maximum size allowable, so please consider individual fit and comfort. Description * 1960s ribbed silk designer Space Age dress * Fabric design features black and white op art circles on a black background * Bodice has long sleeves and a V-neckline * Contrasting black, white and red braid along neckline, sloping towards waist * Skirt is slightly gathered * Matching braid along the bottom hemline * Back with metal zipper, Braid on neck, waist and hem * Fully lined with couture finishing * Label reads Sarmi New York Count Ferdinando Sarmi, was born into a wealthy Italian family and raised in Trieste. Following his doctorate in Law, Sarmi decided that he wanted to be a fashion designer. He created costumes for two Italian films: Musica Proibita (released as Forbidden Music in the US) in 1942 and Cronaca di un Amore (released as Story of a Love Affair in the US) in 1950. It was his first and only known on-screen performance. He left Italy in 1951 to work in New York fashion, becoming Elizabeth Arden's head designer from 1951 to 1959. He launched his own high-quality ready-to-wear salon in New York in 1959, using the label Sarmi. In 1960, he won a Coty Award. It was during this time that he developed a reputation as a top designer, wooing an influential clientele that included celebrities, New York socialites, and foreign dignitaries. He became a naturalised United States citizen in January 1959, His collection included both haute couture and ready to wear apparel that set the pace for 1960s fashion in New York. His designs commonly featured intricate embroideries, vivid colors, and racy hemlines as well as hand silks and the first-ever tie-dyed silk chiffons used in haute couture, designed and produced by Tzaims Luksus. During the late 1960s, the house fell upon financial difficulties. In 1972, his business was renamed Ferdinando Sarmi, but it closed shortly thereafter. Condition Excellent. No notable flaws that I can see, it is in fabulous condition for its age. Please note that these are vintage items that have been used and loved over the years, As such, they may display slight evidence of their age. Any notable flaws above and beyond this will be highlighted here. Comment Stunning, high quality designer dress with an unusual fabric design and silhouette. Impeccably tailored as expected from this listing. Please drop us a line if you require additional information about this listing. Shop Policies COVID-19 Unfortunately, the pandemic has resulted in a backlog of parcels worldwide. Our local Postal Service continues to operate at increased capacity and assures us that packages will arrive at their destination, albeit with a noticeably longer timeframe. We now offer an alternate express delivery service via DHL for those of you who want your packages more expediently. This option is currently delivering packages within a seven-day timeframe from pick-up. Availability This item is within our selling stock. In the unlikely event that two buyers purchase this item concurrently, payment will be immediately refunded to the latter purchaser. We apologise in advance should this rare circumstance arise. Postage We make every effort to post your item within 1-3 days of payment. Should a circumstance arise where we are unable to post within this timeframe (eg we are away at a fair) we will contact you immediately. Please note that our postage charges are based on standard international and domestic air packages - all with tracking. If you want to upgrade to express postage or require insurance, please contact us prior to checkout and we will adjust the rates accordingly. LayBys/Layaways Yes we do offer flexible layby/layaway options and are open to negotiation as to the time period. Obviously, the more expensive the item the longer the time you will have to finalise payment. Contact us to see how accommodating we can be :) Alterations Obviously, as these are one-off pieces, the fit may not be quite what you need. To this end, we also offer an alteration service by professional seamstresses. Please shoot us an email outlining what you want and we will quickly respond with a quote and timeframe. Costs are kept to a minimum for this service. Special Orders If you are looking for something that you don't currently find in our shop - let us know we may be able to help you with a special listing! Photography Our photos are taken with a mix of studio and ambient lighting. Whilst we take care with the colour balance of our photos, individual computer monitors register colours differently depending on their calibration. If you want the exact colour shade drop us a line and we will give you the Universal Pantone colours that match the item.